…says this is the right time to benefit from FIFA…
Incumbent Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Walter Nyamilandu believes he has laid a strong platform for the development of Malawian football and has passionately appealed to the FA assembly to grant him another mandate to administer the country’s biggest sport.
Nyamilanduwill likely face off against his Vice President James Mwenda and Karonga United Chairman Alupheous Chipanga next month when the 9 FAM affiliated bodies who make up the assembly will decide their next leaders.
During his manifesto launch titled ‘Raising The Bar’ in Blantyre at Amaryllis Hotel on Thursday night, Nyamilandu said this is an opportune time for Malawi to benefit from his FIFA Council position.
Outlining what his leadership will do in order to take the game to the next level, the FA boss, who has been at the helm for 15 years, said he will focus more on junior development, better corporate support, corporate governance, integrity, hard work, infrastructure, better media management, improved packages for the elite leagues and investing more in women’s football.
“This is not the right time for me to go, this is the opportunity for Malawi to enjoy the fruits of my position as FIFA Council member and I am pleading with Malawians through the delegates to give me one more time to take the game to another level,” he said.
The FA boss then promised to commercialize the game through broadcasting rights and e-ticketing, saying his association will establish a Television Station to maximize resources.
“If we have managed to build technical centers and stadiums, do you think we can fail to have our own Television Station? The next four years will be very crucial because I am about to take the game to another level.
“My administration will introduce e-ticketing as one way of putting to an end gate fraud. Our friends are doing it, why not us? For this to happen, I am pleading with the delegates to vote wisely and I am the only one capable of transforming our football to international standards,” he added.
On Super League, Nyamilandu promised to lease Chilomoni Stadium to the elite administrators as one way of increasing revenue generation for the smooth running of the body.
“My administration will lease Chilomoni Stadium to Sulom to ensure that they increase revenue generation for the smooth running of the body and I will also hire a full time Chief Executive Officer who will be paid by the FA for 24 months before handing the responsibly back to Sulom,” he continued.
He also added that his leadership will work towards improving the standards of the top flight football, saying Super League football will reach the level of Italian Serie A and that Malawi will be playing Barcelona way.
The overconfident boss then vowed to see Malawi qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, FIFA World Cup and winning the 2020 COSAFA Cup.
On Women’s football, Nyamilandu promised to hire a full time Technical Director to ensure that the game improves at all levels.
He also promised to empower women’s football clubs, saying he will enforce elite clubs to own women’s football clubs as one way of developing the game.
He also revealed that his leadership will establish Women’s football national league across the country.
On Beach Soccer, the FA boss promised to take the game to the cities through various activities aiming at improving the sport.
“I still have work to complete and I want to leave a legacy for our football,” he said.
The FAM President acknowledged that his body has failed in some areas “where we could have done things better” but also highlighted the achievements he believed he has scored including being the FAM boss to complete the Mpira Village which he said is well structured and maintaining National teams’ participation in international tournaments despite financial challenges.
“We went through a very tortuous road before taking over from the previous leadership. We found FAM in a mess, we had no offices but go to Chiwembe today, you will find well structured offices with lots of well trained people working for the association,” he explained.
